An electrochemical cell typically includes a positive electrode and a negative electrode which participate in an electrochemical reaction to produce electrical current. Generally, electrochemical reactions are facilitated by an electrolyte, which can contain free ions and can behave as an ionically conductive medium.
The performance of an electrochemical cell can be enhanced by increasing the amount of contact between an electrode active material and the electrolyte, which can lead to an increase in the rate of the electrochemical reaction within the cell. In addition, the performance of an electrochemical cell can be enhanced by maintaining a high degree of electrical conductivity within the bulk of the electrodes. In some previous electrochemical cells, these objectives can be accomplished to some extent by employing porous electrodes comprising an electrode active material positioned on or within a support structure, such as an agglomeration of porous carbon particles.
The performance of an electrochemical cell, including electrochemical cells in which lithium is used as an electrode active material, can further be enhanced by applying an anisotropic force to the electrochemical cell.